The Sunlit Claw
by OnceInABlueSun
Summary: "Beware the sun who finds comfort in the dark..." Young Sunpaw of Streamclan is unwillingly forced to train as a medicine cat apprentice due to a leg injury, now tensions are high as she secretly trains to be a warrior, but can she escape the past of her new mentor and his relationship with her old? Rated T to be safe. Please R & R!
1. Prologue

**Hi OnceInABlueSun here! This is a new story I'm really excited for so enjoy! :) Oh and also the wonderful cover was ****drawn by my good friend Bluezip so all the credit for that goes to her! :)**

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**STREAMCLAN**

LEADER: Ripplestar-light brown tabby she-cat with white markings on her face and blue eyes

DEPUTY: Sandstep-golden tom with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Brightpelt-bright ginger she-cat with green eyes

WARRIORS:

Flowerblossom-dark grey she-cat with lighter grey spots and blue eyes

Shallowriver-white tom with green eyes** Apprentice: Rainpaw**

Featherleap-tawny colored tom with brown eyes

Dustytail-light brown she-cat with amber eyes

Dewstrom-silver tom with blue-grey markings on his face and brown eyes

Cedarwing-chestnut colored she-cat with amber eyes

Sharpeye-tortoiseshell tom with sharp blue eyes **Apprentice: Fernpaw**

Pebbleshift-dark brown tom hazel eyes

Cloudsky-pure white she-cat with blue eyes **Apprentice: Claypaw**

Beetlestripe-red colored tabby tom with amber eyes

Ashstrike-dark grey tom with brown eyes

APPRENTICES:

Rainpaw-silver tom with green eyes

Claypaw-rust colored she-cat with green eyes

Fernpaw-white she-cat with light brown markings on her pelt and brown eyes

QUEENS:

Lightpetal-cream colored she-cat with blue eyes (Mother to Sandstep's kit: Sunkit-sand colored tabby she-kit with amber eyes)

Cinderflight-silver she-cat with green eyes (Mother to Shallowriver's kits: Gorsekit-tawny colored tom with green eyes, Bluekit-blue-grey she-kit with hazel eyes, Nettlekit-brown tom with green eyes)

ELDERS:

Spottedthorn-bright ginger she-cat with brown spots and green eyes

Driftingbreeze-cream she-cat with amber eyes

Jaygaze-grey tom with brown eyes

**(Robintalon-bright ginger tom with green eyes)**

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**PROLOGUE**

**(Lightpetal's POV)**

Lightpetal looked down at her kit from where she was sunning herself on a rock. This was Sunkit's first time outside the nursery and the sandy kit seemed to be in awe. A butterfly landed on Sunkit's nose, the she-kit stared at it wide eyed, Lightpetal stifled a laugh. Suddenly Sunkit let out a tiny sneeze and the butterfly flew away. The young kit watched it go then returned to playing. Lightpetal stretched and stood up, she jumped nimbly off the rock and landed by Sunkit, "You stay here, i'll be right back," she meowed to Sunkit who nodded earnestly. Lightpetal started towards the fresh-kill pile but stopped in her tracks, on the ground before her was a dead butterfly. She bent down to sniff it just as Brightpelt the medicine cat walked over to her.

"Strange isn't it," she mewed.

Lightpetal nodded, "Just a moment ago it was on Sunkit's nose, but now it's dead."

"Well it's not that big of a deal, though it's quite pretty, blue like the color of the stream our clan is named after," the medicine cat pointed out, then with a curt nod she walked away. Lightpetal watched her go, then picked up a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. When she turned around to go eat by her kit the sight she saw shocked her, Sunkit was covered in blood and lay lifeless on the ground, the queen looked down at her own paws they were also covered in blood.

"Kin must kill kin to save the clan," an ominous voice sent chills down her spine. She blinked and Sunkit was no longer dead, the small kit was happily playing, just like before. Lightpetal glanced down at her paws, they were the same cream paws she had always had. She shrugged and went to eat by Sunkit.

None of the clan knew it but a dark cat was watching, waiting to attack. The cat spoke, voice soft and smooth, "We are coming…."

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**Hope you enjoyed! :) Check out my other stories and be sure to drop me a review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here is Chapter 1! (Sorry for the wait!)**

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**CHAPTER 1**

**(Sunkit's POV)**

"Hey Sunkit, were gonna ask Beetlestripe for a badger ride! Wanna join us?" Nettlekit called.

"Sure!" Sunkit yelled running over to her younger denmates who had only been born two moons ago.

"Great!" Gorsekit purred, "Comon!" he meowed running towards the warrior's den, Sunkit, Nettlekit and Bluekit on his tail.

"Beetlestripe's the best!" Bluekit mewed, "I hope I get him as my mentor!"

"Not if I get him first!" Sunkit challenged.

"Aww no fair!" Bluekit sighed, Nettlekit shrugged.

They walked into the warrior's den, "Beetlestripe?" Grosekit asked, there was hardly anyone in the den.

"Hi kits!" came Beetlestripe's cheery mew.

"Hi!" they squeaked in unison.

"Can we have a badger ride?" Nettlekit asked.

"Of course," the reddish tom smiled, "But let's do it outside, Dewstorm's trying to sleep." The kits nodded and followed the warrior outside, "Hop on!" he meowed bending down so the kits could get up. Sunkit dug her tiny claws into the tom's back and squealed in delight as he began to lumber around like a bader.

"Yay!" Bluekit cheered.

After a few minutes Sunkit's dad Sunstep called Beetlestripe for a hunting patrol, "Got to go kits, see you later," he called padding away.

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"I wish I could go hunt with Beetlestripe," Nettlekit sighed.

"Me too!" Sunkit agreed staring at the camp entrance.

"Me three!" Bluekit added, "Say why don't we go hunt with Beetlestripe?!"

"How?" Gorsekit asked.

"Sneak out of camp, Duh!" Bluekit meowed.

Nettlekit shifted uneasily, "I don't know…"

"Oh comon! It'll be fun!" Bluekit meowed.

"I'll come!" Sunkit meowed.

"Me too, I guess," Gorsekit said.

They turned to Nettlekit, "Well?" Bluekit asked.

"Ok! I'll come," he muttered.

"Good!" Bluekit meowed, "Follow me!" She lead them into the nursery where their mothers were sleeping, "This way," she whispered, indicating to a small hole in the den that lead to the forest.

Quietly Sunkit followed her denmate through the hole, "Wow!" she breathed once on the other side, "The forest is amazing!" Gorsekit and Bluekit nodded while Nettlekit sulked behind them.

"This way," Gorsekit meowed, "Let's see if we can find Beetlestripe." Sunkit hared after him with Bluekit and Nettlekit on her tail.

Suddenly Bluekit stopped, "Look at that!" she breathed staring up at a huge maple tree that seemed to tower over the rest.

For the first time Nettlekit looked more interested then scared, "This must be the tree where Maplestar, the first leader of StreamClan got her nine lives!" he exclaimed.

"Wow!" Sunkit mewed, just then she heard a snarl, she turned around to see a bright red animal a little bigger then a cat but much bigger than a kit.

"Fox!" Gorsekit yowled, "Quick up the tree!"

Nettlekit took one look at the fox and clawed his way up the tree after his brother, "I told you this was a bad idea!" he yelled down to Bluekit once he was perched safely on one of the higher branches. Bluekit muttered something under her breath and climbed up after her brothers.

Sunkit stared shocked at the fox as it slowly approached her, "Sunkit hurry!" Bluekit yowled, Sunkit snapped out of her daze started to climb the tree, just then the fox bit down on her tail and searing pain coursed through her. She let out a screech but continued to climb until she reached her denmates on one of the highest branches.

"What do we do now?" Gorsekit asked.

"Call for help, mouse-brain!" Nettlekit muttered.

"Help!" Bluekit called, "Beetlestripe? Anyone? Help!" Soon Sunkit and Gorsekit joined the call, then Nettlekit.

"Help!" They all called, suddenly Ashstrike, Dustytail and Beetlestripe were there landing furious blows at the fox.

Trying to see what was going on Sunkit inched her way to the edge of the branch, just then she heard and snap and found herself plummeting down to the ground, she opened her mouth to call for help but nothing came out. Pain erupted in her whole body as she hit the ground. "Sunkit!" Beetlestripe yowled as her vision got fuzzy, then the world went black.

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Sunkit awoke with searing pain in her left foreleg, she let out a moan and tried to sit up. Where am I? She wondered, just then she heard her mother's voice, "Sunkit! Thank goodness your awake!" she exclaimed licking her kit all over.

"Mom!" she mumbled.

"Aw Sunkit, good to see your awake," Brightpelt meowed, walking over to her, "Let me examine your leg." Sunkit felt her press down on it, she squealed in pain, "Sorry!" the medicine cat meowed.

"Well?" her mother questioned.

****"Lightpetal, your daughter has a very serious injury….I'm afraid if it doesn't heal in the next three moons Sunkit will not be able to train as a warrior."

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**Hope you liked it! Please review and check out my other stories! :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hi guys sorry for the wait! Here is chapter 2...**

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**CHAPTER 2**

**(Sunkit's POV)**

Sunkit felt her eyes drift close, she dreamed she was in the tree again and she slipped, but this time she didn't hit the ground, instead a large bright ginger tom ran underneath her and caught her just in the nick of time. He gently slid her off his back and turned to her, green eyes kind and friendly, "I will always be here for you Sunkit," he told her, and with that he faded away leaving a speechless Sunkit standing there staring at where he had been.

"Sunkit, Sunkit dear wake up," the sand-colored tabby she-kit awoke to see her mother standing over her, "I brought you a mouse honey."

"Thanks mom," she meowed scarfing it down, she hadn't realized how hungry she had been. Slowly she maneuvered herself so she was in an upright position and looked around, nothing had changed, it was the same boring old medicine den that she had been in since yesterday. How does Brightpelt stand this place? She thought to herself as she examined the brambly walls, then again most of the other dens in the clan were like this, but the nursery felt more comforting then all of them….

Brightpelt's mew jolted her from her thoughts, "Hi, Sunkit glad to see you awake!"

"Hi," Sunkit replied, why was she so happy?

"Sunkit," she meowed turning to face the she-kit, "Today I'm going to try and help you walk!"

"Oh, but she just fell yesterday give her a little more to rest!" her Lightpetal begged.

"I'm fine mom," Sunkit groaned.

"Oh….ok," her mother replied flatly, "I'll just be outside the den if you need me…" Sunkit watched as she left then turned to Brightpelt expently.

"Now, let me help you up and we can try walking with me supporting you first, then you can try on your own." Sunkit nodded and allowed herself to be helped up by the medicine cat. She leaned against her and lifted her hurt leg off the ground, they began to walk. They did a few circles around the den until Sunkit felt comfortable, then Brightpelt had her balance, she fell a few times but eventually got the hang of it. Last came the true test, Sunkit began to walk or limp, she made it only about two fox lengths before falling flat on her face. Brightpelt helped her up, "Are you ok? Do you want to try again?"

"I'm fine," Sunkit grumbled, "And i'd rather just sleep." Brightpelt sighed and helped the kit back her nest. Sunkit curled up and watched as the medicine cat left the den, she thought about what Brightpelt had said, "I'm afraid if it doesn't heal in the next three moons Sunkit will not be able to train as a warrior…"

Just then she heard a voice, "Bluekit," it was so soft she could hardly hear it, "Bluekit," it spoke again.

"Ha-hello? Who's there? I'm n-not Bluekit, b-but I am Sunkit," she stammered gazing around at the den.

"Blu-" it started to speak again but stopped as soon as pawsteps could be heard outside the den.

"Sunkit!" came a cheery meow, the kit looked up to see Beetlestripe standing over her.

"Hi!" she squeaked.

"Your father says hi, he would come and visit you but he's very busy."

Sunkit's eyes darkened, "Oh..yeah…" she muttered, her father, Sunstep was the deputy so he didn't have much time for his only kit. She sighed, "Beetlestripe, when I become an apprentice will be my mentor?"

"Well..I don't have much say in that Sunkit, that's for Ripplestar to decide," he looked down at the sandy kit's pleading eyes, "But...maybe I could talk to Ripplestar about it…"

"Would you?!" Sunkit exclaimed eye wide.

"I promise!"

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Sunkit watched the rain as it fell in tiny drops from the sky, she looked at her leg and sighed, why did I have to fall? Why did I have to get hurt, this is no fun, it was her fifth day in the nursery and things had not been very eventful. She still couldn't walk and none of the other's kits would come see her. On top of that she kept hearing that voice, "Bluekit," it would say until a cat walked into the den, she promised herself that as soon as she could walk she would try to figure what the voice was and what it wanted.

Just then she heard her mother's voice outside the den, "Oh please Ripplestar give it a few more days, maybe even a moon?"

"Lightpetal I understand your concern but Sunkit's apprentice ceremony is supposed to be in five days! But I guess since she's hurt I can extend it to a moon, but no later! Do you understand?"

"Yes Ripplestar," her mother sighed. Sunkit felt her heart sink, in five days she could have become an apprentice, but not now, she'd just have to try harder! And in a moon she could be a real apprentice!

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**Poor Sunkit! Anyways...what do you guys think of Beetlestripe? And remember to review!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! Sorry for the wait! Here's chapter 3... :)**

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**CHAPTER 3**

**(Sunkit's POV)**

"Sunkit!" the she-kit looked up at the sound of Brightpelt calling her.

"Yeah!" she called back, using three of her legs to get up and limp over to the medicine cat.

Brightpelt purred, "I see your walking is getting better, don't worry you'll be an apprentice before you know it!"

Sunkit forced a smile, "Yeah..."

"Now," Brightpelt began, "I need you to help me sort herbs."

Sunkit narrowed her eyes in disgust, "Ewww, no!" she squeaked.

Brightpelt seemed to ignore her and dropped a pile of assorted herbs in front of her, "Tansy goes here, Catmint goes there, Poppy Seeds go next to them, Borage goes here and Chervil Root goes there." Sunkit stared at her, how was she supposed to remember all that?! "Ok I expect to see them all sorted correctly when I get back from checking on the elders," with that she stalked out of the den.

Sunkit picked up some Poppy Seeds in her jaws and laid them down where the medicine cat had told her to. She racked her brain trying to remember where the Catmint went, "Poppy Seeds go next to them," Brightpelt's words rang in her ears. Ahh, so Catmint must be on the right of them! She thought to herself with satisfaction. After struggling to find where the Borage and Chervil Root went she finally had them all organized...except for the Tansy! She realized angrily. "Why do I have to do this!" she wondered aloud, "This is a job for a medicine cat! And I'm not going to be a medicine cat, I'm gonna be a warrior!" She picked up the Tansy in her jaws and put down by the Poppy Seeds. "Good enough," she muttered limping to her nest and plopping down in it.

A few seconds later Brightpelt reappeared, "All done I see," she meowed eyeing the piles of herbs. She padded over to them and examined them. She murmured something under her breath then turned to Sunkit, "All correct, right piles and in the right order." Sunkit felt a pinch of satisfaction. "You have a very good memory my dear..." Brightpelt trailed off, "Would ever consider becoming a medicine cat?"

Sunkit gave her a look as though she had just told the funniest joke she had ever heard, "Me a medicine cat!" she noticed the serious look on Brightpelt's face, "No thanks."

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Sunkit heard the voice say Bluekit's name several more times that day. She still didn't know who was saying it or why, but she was about to find out...

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"Let all cats old enough to wade in the stream join here beneath the MossStone for a Clan meeting!" Ripplestar's familiar call rang through the camp. Sunkit peaked her head out of the nursery to see Bluekit, Gorsekit and Nettlekit walking towards the MossStone, fur freshly groomed. NO! She willed Ripplestar not to say it..."Today we celebrate the apprenticeship of Cinderflight's kits!" Sunkit dug her claws into the earth, I was supposed to be an apprentice first! "Nettlekit, your mentor will be.." Please not Beetlestripe! Sunkit silently begged. "Dustytail! Dustytail I know you are a wise cat, I hope you will pass down all you know to Nettlepaw." Sunkit breathed a sigh of relief, not Beetlestripe. "Gorsekit," She felt herself tense up again. "Your mentor will be Pebbleshift, he is brave and strong and will make you into a fine warrior. Now Bluekit, your mentor will be..." Sunkit held her breath, "Beetlestripe!" Sunkit's world crumbled, she barely heard Ripplestar talk about how kind and fast the reddish tom was.

Suddenly the voice spoke to her again, "Bluepaw!" But this time Sunkit understood, Bluepaw had come up with the idea of leaving camp, Bluepaw was responsible for her injury, Bluepaw got Beetlestripe as a mentor when he had promised to talk to Ripplestar about being her mentor! It was Bluepaw's fault!

At that moment something stirred inside her and she only had a single want, revenge.

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**Sorry it's short! Please review, it means a lot!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! Here's chapter 4...**

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**CHAPTER 4**

**(Sunkit's POV)**

Sunkit slept fitfully that night, at one point she woke up and could faintly hear Brightpelt and Ripplestar talking, "It's a shame Sunkit's denmates became apprentices before her," Ripplestar was saying.

"Yes a shame indeed, um Ripplestar I feel I may have a solution to this problem."

"What might that be Brightpelt?"

"Well, it's private, we need to go somewhere else if I was to tell you…." Brightpelt trailed off.

"Alright, let's go." Sunkit heard their pawsteps disappear into the howling of the wind. A few minutes later she had drifted to sleep.

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**(Ripplestar's POV)**

Ripplestar followed Brightpelt to the stream, she motioned for the medicine cat to sit down, "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Well Ripplestar, I wanted to make Sunkit my apprentice…" the medicine cat trailed off, "She has a great memory and well she can't be a warrior so I, um well was hoping you would let me train her."

Ripplestar sighed, "I know you only mean well Brightpelt but I'm not sure this is a good idea. I saw Sunkit's face after Cinderflight's kits became apprentices, she really wants to be a warrior."

The medicine cat was silent for a moment, "It's the prophecy isn't it?"

Ripplestar sighed, "Yes, _Beware the sun who finds comfort in the dark…_"

"You think that if I train Sunkit to be a medicine cat then she will look to the dark forest and Robintalon for help?"

"Precisely, Brightpelt I think she will be safe as a warrior. Your brother is very powerful, if he gets his claws on her then StreamClan will surely be destroyed."

"Ripplestar I have no doubt my brother is strong, but I can handle him!"

The leader hung her head eyes clouded with doubt, "Then it is settled, you can train Sunkit. I will announce it tomorrow…"

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**(Sunkit's POV)**

When Sunkit woke up she was in a valley, a white valley. Snow covered everything and more of it was dropping from the sky. "Welcome!" Sunkit looked up to see a bright ginger tom with green eyes, he was the spitting image of Brightpelt except for the fact that his left foreleg hovered above the ground.

"H-hi," she meowed nervously, "Who are you?"

"I am Robintalon," he said dipping his head to her, "And you must be Sunkit."

"How di-did you know-"

"Your name?" Sunkit nodded numbly, "That I'll tell you later."

"Are you from StarClan?" she asked.

The tom sighed, "Now I don't want to lie to you Sunkit so I'll come right out and say no, I am NOT from StarClan."

"Oh, so what happened to your leg?"

"I was born this way," he meowed, "Our mother was wounded when she gave birth to us."

"_Our_ mother?"

"My sister and I, I have a sister," he paused, "Sunkit do you want to know why your here?"

"Well, yeah I guess," she meowed.

"Your here because-"

He was cut off by a voice in the distance, "Robintalton! Fang wants to see you!"

"Look," he meowed, "I'll tell you tomorrow just meet me here ok?"

Sunkit started to protest, "But I don't even know how I got-" she was cut off when Robintalon disappeared and she found herself back in the Medicine Cat Den. She had the strangest feeling she had seen him before, but where she didn't know.

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**Short again! Sorry :) Thats for the reviews guys! Do you think we can get up to 40? Also if you've read my other story Stars Dawn and the sequel Fading Moon then I have some exciting news, Petalwish and I have created a forum where you can RP as characters from Stars Dawn! Please check it out, the link is in my profile! :)**


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